Cantus Firmus: growing and shrinking melodies

• Each member of the ensemble proposes a note. As we play the melody is growing by starting at the first mote and playing the sequence until the last note is reached. From here the process reverses: the melody shrinks until we reach the first note again. The sequence builds up while playing. for 6 notes the cycle is as follows:

Growing phase:   1 > 1, 2 > 1, 2, 3 > 1, 2, 3, 4 > 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 > 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Shrinking phase: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 > 1, 2, 3, 4 > 1, 2, 3 > 1, 2 > 1

• As a first way of expanding the exercise, a solo player is improvising over the full cycle of the growing and shrinking melody.